As a pointless, self-serving enviro gimmick, NBC doused the studio lights during last night’s Cowboys/Eagles rout. Broadcasting in the dark did serve at least one useful purpose — we literally saw less of Keith Olbermann. But other than that, it was idiotic.

At halftime, Bob Costas tossed to Matt Lauer, who was standing in a bleak vista in front of what appeared to be a pack of sled dogs somewhere in the Arctic Circle. The crew bathed Lauer’s set with what looks like several hundred square yards of dazzling light. Judging by the scale of the Huskies compared to Lauer, the light zone must go 50 or 60 yards straight back and probably at least a similar distance across. So that lit space alone probably offset the studio lights that some pinhead decided to turn off in the studio as a show of green power, dude. Then there were the heaters to warm up the on-camera divas, the power to run the cameras and comm gear, and floating soot in the air by burning the candles.

Then there’s all the jet fuel that got burned up flying NBC’s vapid anchors, Lauer, Al Roker and Ann Curry plus crews and gear to remote locations. Yeah, turning those studio lights off really saved one heck of a lot of energy, NBC.

Oh, and pay no attention to the gigantic video screen right over Bob Costas’ shoulder. Or the other video screens all over the set.

On the other hand, Ann Curry has never looked less frigid.

NBC is promising threatening 150 hours of green programming, Al Gore is going to be on 30 Rock, it’s going to be a green week at NBC.

So I’ll be watching anything but NBC. Propaganda is for losers.

Update: A Green is Universal Truther movement? It is odd that you can’t see Lauer’s breath in any of the clips. I just went back and watched the full resolution clip that I still have on my hard drive. No visible breath. Lauer claims that he’s out in 0 degree weather. Now, I happen to have some personal experience with shooting video in the Arctic. I shot video outdoors on Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska in subzero temps several years ago. Foggy breath everywhere. Also, the shortness of breath that the cold causes makes everyone sound breathless. Lauer sounds downright cozy.

I don’t think that NBC has Lauer on some secret moonscape set in Hollywood, but it is odd.